Appaeatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

L. K. JOHNSON & A. A. LOW.

TYPE DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS.

Patented Feb. 23, 1886.

2 W O L A A w N 0 S N H O J K L TYPE DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS.

Patented Feb. 23,1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS K. JOHNSON AND A. AUGUSTUS LOW, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNORS TO THEALDEN TYPE MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TYPE-DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,645, datedFebruary 23, 1886.

Application filed October 9, 1883.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be itknown that we, LOUIS K. JOHNsON and A. AUGUSTUS Low, citizens ofthe United States, residing in the city of Brooklyn, in the 5 county ofKings and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Type-Distributing Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention has for its object the production of a hand type receivingand distributing apparatus that will be adapted to all sizes of type,from, say, nonpariel to pica; and theinvention consists, first, inaseries of movable conduit-walls or partitions, pivoted to an inclined Iconduit-bed near their upper extremities in such manner that theirlowerends maybe made to approach toward or recede from opposed stationaryconduit side walls upon the said conduit-bed for the purpose of varyingthe width of the type-passages; secondly, in conjunction with the saidadjustable conduits in a device for effecting the relative adjustment oftheir side walls, substantially as hereinafter designated; thirdly, in areciprocating type raiser and pusher, the projecting tongues or pusher-fingers of which are adjustable in width according to the width of thetype to be distributed to adapt them to properlysupport and forward thetype; and, lastly, in a series of type-containing channels orreservoirs, the side walls of which are made relatively adjustable tosuit the size of the type to be distributed into them.

Ne are aware that heretofore, as in our Patent No. 282,988, dated August14, 1883,

provision has been made for the use of conraining-channels of differentsizes in a single apparatus; but in such case the transition from onewidth of passage to the other is sudden and there is the possibility ofderangement to the descending type. This danger is still furtherincreased where very large type are being distributed by the fact thatthe fingers of the pusher are permanent in size, and, being made toenter the smallest channels, only bear upon the larger type for aportion of their widths, thus permitting them in some cases to turn upontheir longitudinal axis;

In our present invention we effectually guard 5 against these dangersand produce a single apparatus equally adapted to all sizes of typesSerial No. 108,486. (No model.)

by making the side walls of the conduits from the receivers convergegradually downward until their inner surfaces coincide with and formcontinuations of the inner side walls of the containing-channelsirrespective of the size of the latter, so that the types, whatevertheir width, are gradually and gently guided down to and supportedlaterally while passing the point of transfer, and by making thepusher-fingers that they can be increased or diminished in width tosnugly fit the interior of the channels in use at the time, therebyenabling us to support all sizes of type squarely and evenly. By makingthe side walls of the containing channels or reservoirs relativelyadjustable we are enabled to adapt them accurately to correspond withthe adjustment of the conduits, while a single series may be made toaccommodate any and all sizes of type, thus rendering the apparatuscomplete as a whole and suitable for all sizes and varieties of type.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 isa sectional elevationillustrating our improved 7 5 construction on plane of liner; 2), Fig.2. Fig. 2 is a plan of a portion of one side of the apparatus, showingthe relative arrangement of the receiving-conduits, containing-channels,and pusher-bar. Fig. 3 is a view of the front or lower ends of thereceiver-conduit partitions and the plate for adjusting them, thecentral portion being broken away, and the extremity of the plate beingrepresented in section to show the adj listing-screw. Fig. 4is 8 5 aplan of the adj usting-plate with its central portion broken away. Fig.5 is a front view of the adj ustable pusher, showing the bed of theapparatus in section on plane of line mm, Fig. 1. Figs. 6 and? arerespectively plans of the plates of which the pusher is composed,showing their central portions broken away. Fig. 8 is a transversesection of one of our adjustable type-reservoirs or containing-channelson plane of line 3 y, Fig. 10; and Figs. 9 and 10, 5 respectively, topand bottom views of a portion of the same. Fig. 11 is a bottom view of aportion of one of our adjustable type-reservoirs or containing-channels,portions being broken away to show the longitudinal recesses :00 andset-screws, and illustrating an alternative method of construction. Fig.12 is a transverse section of the same on plane of line 2 z, Figs. 11and 13; and Fig. 13 is a side view of one of the same, showing one ofthe longitudinal recesses and set-screws.

The receiving-conduits, as heretofore, are arranged upon an inclinedplane or bed, A, which is mounted upon the table or frame A of theapparatus; but instead of rigidly securing or forming conduits upon theinclined plane we attach or connect partitions a a with and upon it insuch manner that they are relatively adjustable for the purpose ofvarying the width of the passages or conduit-spaces a a between them.This may be accomplished by permanently pivoting the movable portions aa of the conduit walls or partitions a a to the inclined plane neartheir upper ends, as shown in the drawings, or in any other suitablemanner.

When pivoted, as shown, the adjacent piv ots a a are arranged at suchdistances apart and in such relation to each other that they will allowthe widest types to pass between the partitions which they secure.

The stationary portions a a of the conduit wall,or partitions a a arerigidlysecured to or formed upon the inclined plane A, and eachconstitutes a permanent guide or wall on one side of its particularconduit, so that the width of the latter may be varied by adjusting theopposite or movable side wall, a a with relation to the said stationaryportion aP. This stationary section a of each partition a extends upwardto and coincides with that part of the adjustable portion a whichadjoins the pivots a (6*, as shown in Fig. 2, so that no matter what theposition of the adjustable portion a may be, the upper extremity of thelatter will always practically constitute a continuation of the upperextremity of the stationary part (0 From this maximum width ofa channelthe conduits may be varied to properly conduct the smaller types bybringing the lower ends of the movable portions (6 a of the partitions aa nearer to the opposed stationary portion a a ofthe said partitions a amore or less, according to the width of the particular type to bedistributed, thus forming passages that contract gradually and uniformlyfrom the upper ends of the conduits (or receivers proper a a to theirextreme lower ends, where they meet, and coincide with the reservoirs ortransfer-channels B, which latter are always of the proper width toreceive and support the type laterally without unnecessary looseness orplay.

The upper ends of the partitions a a are preferably bent away from eachother, as shown in the drawings, or otherwise constructed to formreceivers a a, which in this case are simply the widened mouths of theconduits a, into which the types may be quickly and convenientlydropped.

The adjustment of the lower ends of the movable portions a of theconduit walls or partitions a may be eifected by a device of anyconvenient and desirable construction, that shown in the drawingsconsisting, essentially, of a plate or slide, 0, which is adjustablelongitudinally, said plate receiving or being connected with andcontrolling the position of the lower ends of the movable portions (1 ofthe conduit-partitions a, and by its position their relation to thestationary portions or of thelatter.

In the drawings the lower ends of the movable portions of theconduitpartitions are shown as simply bent over and resting betweenshoulders c 0, formed in the plate 0, and the adjustment of the plate 0is effected by means of a stationary serew,c, attached to the under sideof the inclined plane A, or the frame-work, and engaging a nut or lug, 0upon the under side of the adjustable plate 0.

The reciprocating pusher-bar D is mounted and actuated in any convenientor well-known manner, its peculiarity being that it is composed of twosuperimposed combs or plates, D D having corresponding combteeth orpusher-fingers d d. These plates are mounted in such manner that theymay both be independently adjusted longitudinally, so as to vary thepositions of their respective sets of comb-teeth or pusher fingers.\Vhen the smallest size of type are to be distributed,(in which casecorrespondingly narrow reservoirs or containing-channels are employed,)the plates D D are each adjusted longitudinally toward the center of thetable until the teeth or fingers d d in both plates coincide with eachother vertically. When a larger size of type is to be'distributed, theplates are adjusted longitudinally in opposite directions (more or less)until the superimposed teeth or fingers are spread out or separated,sothatthe combined width horizontally of any two superimposed teeth isequal to the width of the type to be operated upon. This longitudinaladjustment of the plates D D may be effected in a variety of ways, thatshown in the drawings consisting in mounting them upon reciprocatingslides S S, between which they are adjusted with relation to each otherby means of nuts 5 8, bearing against the sides of said slides andworking upon screws 8 8, projecting from and forming the support for theopposite ends of the plates.

For the purpose of adapting a single set of the reservoirs orcontaining-channels to accommodate all sizes of type for which theapparatus is designed, and thus make the latter complete and compact, wemake the side wall of the said reservoirs or containing-channelsadjustable with relation to each other, so that the width of the channelmay be varied to correspond to the width of the particular type to bedistributed. This may be accomplished in a Variety of ways, two of whichare illustrated in the drawings.

In Figs. 8, 9, and 10 the spine or one side wall of the channel isformed with a longitudinal groove, 9, into which a corresponding IIOtongue, h, projecting from the opposite side wall, fits, and in which itis held by countersunk set-screws i. The adjustment of the width of thechannel is effected by loosening the set-screw and inserting orwithdrawing the tongueh,more or less, as required,and then retighteningthe set-screw.

In Figs. 11, 12, and 13 one-half of the spine or bottom of the channelprojects from each side wall, and each half tapers in width from one endto the other, so that when the two sides are placed together, as shownin Fig. 11, wlth the narrow end, j, of one adjoining the wide end, k, ofthe other, any longitudinal movement of the sides with relation to eachother will vary the width of the channel between them.. The sides areheld together in the position desired by set-screws Z, countersunk inone side and screwing, into the other, and passing through longitudinalrecesses m and slots 1n,formed in one side piece, to allow of itslongitudinal adjustment upon the other side piece.

What we claim as our invention is 1. In a type-distributing apparatussub stantially such as herein designated, the adjustable conduit wallsor partitions pivoted to the inclined conduit-bed near their upperextremities in such manner that their lower ends may be advanced orretraced with relation to the opposed stationary conduit side walls, forthe purpose and substantially in the manner described.

2. In a type-distributing apparatus substantially such as designated, anindependently-adj ustable slide or plate adapted to receive or connectwith movable conduit side walls or partitions, in combination with andfor the purpose of controlling the position of the latter with relationto the stationary side walls of the conduits, substantially in themanner and for the purpose described.

3. In a type-distributing apparatus substantially such as designated, areciprocating type pusher or forwarder formed with pusher teeth orfingers, which are adjustable in width, for the purpose andsubstantially in the manner described.

4. In a type-distributing apparatus substantially such as hereindesignated, the reciprocating comb pusher-bar formed ofindependentlyadjustable superimposed slides or plates, each providedwith a corresponding series of teeth or pusher-fingers, substantially inthe manner and for the purpose described.

5. In a type distributing apparatus substantially such as designated, areservoir or containing-channel one side wall of which is formed with alongitudinal groove and the other with a corresponding tongue orprojection, which is adjustable within the said groove, for the purposeand substantially in the manner described.

LOUIS K. JOHNSON. A. AUGUSTUS LOW. Witnesses:

CHAS. 0. ()VERTON, A. O. HAWKINS.

